Ulemas to question U.S. policy<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post,
\nBandung\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Muslim leaders invited to meet United States President George W.
\nBush in Bali next week are planning to question Washington's
\nforeign policy toward Muslim countries.<\/p>\n
\"I will convey a letter expressing our concerns over Bush's
\naction that creates a false perception of Muslims. He has
\nprovoked uneasiness among us,\" noted preacher Abdullah Gymnastiar
\nsaid on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He underlined that Washington's invasion of Iraq and support
\nfor Israel's occupation of Palestine had disappointed Muslims
\naround the world.<\/p>\n
\"He (Bush) says he is saddened by the deaths of innocent
\nvictims in the Bali tragedy but his actions have sacrificed so
\nmany lives,\" the preacher said without elaborating.<\/p>\n
Aa Gym, as he is popularly known, is among four noted Muslim
\nleaders invited to meet Bush during his brief stopover in Bali on
\nOct. 22.<\/p>\n
Nahdlatul Ulama Chairman Hasyim Muzadi, Muhammadiyah Chairman
\nSyafii Ma'arif and rector of the state-owned University of
\nIslamic Studies Azyumardi Azra, are also on the invitation list.<\/p>\n
Hasyim confirmed on Thursday that he had been notified by the
\nU.S. Embassy that he would have a chance to speak with President
\nBush.<\/p>\n
\"I am gathering as many views and aspirations as possible from
\nMuslim preachers on what I should say to Bush and it will be very
\ninteresting,\" Hasyim told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Hasyim, chairman of the country's largest Muslim organization,
\nNahdlatul Ulama, was quoted by Associated Press as saying on
\nThursday that he planned to tell Bush that the war in Iraq was
\nthe latest sign that U.S. policy was biased against Muslim
\ncountries in the Middle East. Without a more \"balanced approach,\"
\nhe said, terrorists would have an easy time finding recruits.<\/p>\n
\"Bush should listen to this. We don't want to see the birth of
\nanother Osama (bin Laden),\" Hasyim said.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Syafii said that the four Muslim leaders would likely
\nquestion Bush over his foreign policy.<\/p>\n
Syafii said earlier that Bush should understand that his
\nadministration's foreign policy was injurious to Muslims around
\nthe world.<\/p>\n
\"In Indonesia, radicalism is on the rise because many Muslims
\nsee the invasion of Iraq as another example of American's neo-
\nimperialism,\" Syafii was quoted by AP as saying.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, security forces are preparing for the planned visit
\nof President Bush to Bali, with four U.S.-made F-16 warplanes
\nscheduled to conduct an aerial patrol before and during the four-
\nhour stopover.<\/p>\n
Commander of National Air Defense Rear Air Marshall Wresniwiro
\nsaid the four planes would stand by from Oct. 19 as a security
\nmeasure.<\/p>\n
Four warships and 5,000 policemen will also be on alert from
\nSunday Oct. 19 onwards around the resort island.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ulemas-to-question-us-policy-1447893297",
"image": ""
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